Daniel Alfredsson's explanation for leaving the Ottawa Senators and signing with the Detroit Red Wings sparked plenty of reaction from the principals involved including his agent J.P. Barry Senators general manager Bryan Murray and even NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

And it didn't take long for Eugene Melnyk to weigh in as well.

The Senators' team owner was quick to defend Murray and their side of the offseason's biggest story and took direct aim at Barry for Alfredsson's exit from the nation's capital.

"For anyone to even suggest the remote possibility that Bryan Murray is not fully honest in his clear recollection of events should be ashamed of themselves" Melnyk told TSN on Friday. "I point the finger squarely on JP Barry the man who blessed us with the (Dany) Heatley mess."

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Thursday Alfredsson said a lack of communication in contract negotiations with the Senators factored in for his choice to sign a one-year contract with the Red Wings and that his last contract had been structured under the assumption he would retire before the final year of the deal that paid $1 million.

Alfredsson then said that Barry informed Murray that in late June that he wanted to play another season.

"I'm disappointed to hear that contract issues were something important to him that he didn't feel we were trying to accommodate" Murray said on the team website after the news conference. "I think in every shape and form we wanted this man back to be the captain of our hockey team and it didn't work out. Sometimes in negotiating all the facts aren't maybe presented to the player the right way but we certainly feel bad that Daniel reacted the way he did today."

Murray added Alfredsson asked for a $7 million one-year contract or $12 million two year contract prior to the 2013 draft. He said the team countered with a one-year deal worth $4.5 million which Alfredsson declined and talks dwindled from there.